One week and counting down to my lbl.

Sounds like you have a pretty good list there.  I would also add Paper Tape & chapstick. Paper tape helps hold the pads in place while you pull the garment up. Also, once you start showering, it's helpful to have a long ribbon or something similar to hold the drain tubes so it frees up your hands to wash yourself.  I used safety pins to hold them onto a piece of ribbon.  Just be careful not to tug on the tubing.

If you have trouble finding unscented pads at the store like I did, check the store brand of your local pharmacy. I found generic unscented thin maxis at Walgreen's.  I had a lot of oozing at the sites where they drained fluid and where the drains came out.  The pads absorbed enough and didn't soak thru to the compression garment.  I only had 2 garments and one day had to wash them both because I wasn't prepared.  I tried to be, but couldn't find the unscented prior to surgery.  The pads also cost much less than the non-stick bandages. 

I had a hard time getting up out of the bed once I did start sleeping in it.  If you can put something there like a chair to give you something to grab, it helps.  Whenever you are going to be alone, have your wife put things in easy reach for you.

Good luck and I hope your "boys" don't give you too much trouble. :)

Thanks Kat.  I picked up both paper tape and chapstick this weekend.  My dr. gives patients a lanyard to hold the drains.  I have put my wife on the trail for the mais but also bought some absorbing gauze pads.  I'll keep your chair tip in mind for when I get back to the bed.  For a while it will be all recliner all the time. I'm sure I'll live through the boys issues but geeze, that doesn't sound fun at all.... 4 more days.

Best Wishes to you!!!  Keep us posted, as you can!!

Checking in to see how your surgery went!

I've had a LBL, and wow.. that was an experience.  Best thing I ever did.  There's nothing like not having to find shirts long enough to cover your tummy. 

I eventually had a problem with the adhesive tape.  I found I had to find a new place to tape every time I changed my bandage.  My skin would just turn red, and you could see where every piece of tape had adherred.  I ended up using more and more guaze than I needed just to extend the point where the adhesive would touch my skin.  There's some stretch adhesive-free tape that is pretty expensive that I used.  You can find it in any store, even Walmart. 

If I had to do it again, and I will when I have my revision, I think I'm just going to get a few wide ace-bandages to wrap around my abdomen, over the gauze.  I actually think it would be cheaper than the new fangled tape.

Good luck to you